Civic Plaza Reno Plan Revealed
The plan that will be presented to Council on Monday night – image courtesy City of Prince George
Prince George, B.C. – When Council meets on Monday night, members will be asked to approve a renovation plan called "The River" for the Civic Plaza. Council will also be asked to approve the renaming of the plaza to the Canada Games Plaza.
The $500 thousand dollar plan features enhanced entries, a podium that can be converted to seating with the Canada Winter Games are over, leaving the existing skating area, but adding a seasonal stage, more greenery, and a new water feature. There is also a plan for public art that will be vertical, or inlaid.
The plan will be the focus of two public open house sessions at the Civic Centre on the 20th, one session will start at noon and run until 2, the second will start at 5 and run till 7. The plan will be on display at the Civic Centre.
According to the presentation to be made to Council, the plan can also be expanded to add other elements should further funding become available. If approved, the renovation would take place in the spring and summer of 2014.
Comments
A whole bunch of trees, shrubs and ‘greenery’ is going to cost us $500,000? And that is going to bring people in to use it? As I said before, sure can fill a lot of potholes for those $$. The plan can be expanded if further funding is available? Where they going to suck that money from? Sounds like they have some ‘grand ideas’.
4 plazas crammed into that small space?
Hmmm.
Plus a lot of maintenance
sjm
Shrubs and trees that are resistant to lysol, cheap wine and urine are very expensive;)
Sure greenery is nice, but than this takes away any opportunity to have an exposition outside. I really think they are missing the mark on this.
Only way that this will work is if the greenery is actually planted in planters which a forklift comes along picks it up and move it for a major event.
“Sure greenery is nice, but than this takes away any opportunity to have an exposition outside. I really think they are missing the mark on this”
I agree completely! It looks to me like they are actually limiting the ability of the Civic Plaza to be used as a gathering place. Where are people going to gather if all of the space is taken up with greenery?
I think they’d be better off having some concrete “stadium style” seating in a half circle arrangement facing the seasonal stage area. Make it 5 or 6 rows high and then at least people could go there to eat their lunch, watch a performer on the stage, etc.
I don’t understand this design at all and I sure as heck don’t get having 4 plazas within the same general area. Why not just 1 functional plaza?
Ya, who wants all that green plant stuff? I prefer the cold, stark, Stalanisk-era concrete and steel . . . with an 1990’s twist. And definately put that money towards the roads! Let’s look after our automobile needs first. Screw civic pride and comfortable public gathering space!
Just under the “No idle zone” signs they can add “Keep off the grass”,”No smoking”, and “No loitering” signs too.
That green plant stuff, is especially nice to look at from October to March, when it is nothing more than a **dead** Zone.
The real reason for all this Horse S..t is because they need to name one project after the Canada Games, and this is it. It matters little that it will cost us, some $500,000.00 and not be used.
The City maintains that they need to raise taxes and service charges because they are in financial difficulties. Hmmmmmmmm
A very pretty place to shoot up and pass out
“Ya, who wants all that green plant stuff?”
St Mark’s Square in Venice does not want all that green stuff!
Toronto City Hall Plaza does not want all that green stuff!
I want to know where the public gathering space for the Games is going to be where they will be presenting the medals each day and having opening ceremonies, closing ceremonies, entertainment stage, etc.
Want green stuff in the downtown of a city? Go to City Hall, it has most of it at the moment. People ought to be rushing there every day during the summer season.
Let us face it, we have no park in our downtown. This is a far cry from a green park.
The plan which came out of the Smart Growth on the Ground exercise showed us one example of how to green the City.
This is once more the right ide in the wrong location. Our City is famous for that.
I think it looks pretty good. Green space can be occupied. What confuses me is that this is being done for the ‘winter’ games. I don’t see many having the desire to spend much time enjoying a winter plaza for extended periods of time.
I see the road is gone. Is this a temporary plan for the games only or to remain permanently? if it permament it could be an enjoyable space for people in the late spring, summer and early autumn. Woud be perfect for the farmers market.
On an warm September day this could be really nice. No sense in jumping up and down over $500k. It really deosn’t take you very far these days.
What is an enhanced entry?
There is a representation of a van parked in the river garden. So, is that a garden, a driveway, or what?
The greening extending to the civic center, does that go to the door, or into the building?
what is named as the donor wall is currently concrete stadium seating of three tiers, will that remain?
The seasonal Stage sits right on top of the public skate rink. So when the winter games come, that facility will not be available for family skate outings?
WTF is the plaza vessel? And the Plaza Podium does not look large enough to present medals on.
Some public squares meant for people gathering, form large ones to small one.
Vatican: http://www.dici.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/vatican.jpg
Portland Oregon â Pioneer Square http://pioneercourthouse.org/images/home/20100414-pioneer-cs-001Forster_lg.jpg
Same square with movable green plants in place http://relocationtoportland.com/files/2011/11/pioneer_square_Portland2.jpg
Toronto â Nathan Phillips Square http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Nathan_Phillips_Square_from_above.jpg
Bellingham â Fairhaven Village Green â [url]http://www.fairhavenvillageinn.com/uploads/P1010861.JPG[url]
Same place, movie night http://www.fairhaven.com/images/uploads/news/movie2013jun22_1202.jpg
In order to have a successful public square, it has to be flexible for a variety of uses – concerts, markets, outdoor movies, the start of a parade, public presentations, spill out for trade shows in the Civic Centre, outdoor restaurant (used during some events at the Civic centre), etc, etc.
You want it green? Put in a lawn such as Fairhaven than can be walked on, driven on, sat down on, exercised on ⦠whatever.
The most important thing???? Use it!!!
Have outdoor movies in the square. Get the PGSO to play at the park. Bring the market into the square. Include the square on street fairs. Have regular concerts in the square during the summer.
Without commercial space surrounding it, the square will continue to be dead unless it is actively promoted no matter what you do to it.
I would like to see the functional program the landscapers were given by the City to scape the land.
Okay, so the PGSO is already playing in the park …. LOL …. get them to play in the square also.
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Loki’s questions.
The greening extending to the civic center, does that go to the door, or into the building?
There are already trees inside the building at the window.
An enhanced entrance is one at a hotel with a doorman. ;-)
The van is there because that is the main common people entrance to the Library and the Civic Centre. That is a hard fact of life with those buildings. The other is that the front of the building is the service entrance for exhibitors during trade shows, etc. One has to have both fixture and people drop off spaces there.
The seating will remain.
As Palopu pointed out the vessel is for rock donations …. LOL … I mean for $250 bucks per hour these designer types have to come up with something original ….. even if it is way out there and not the best for public safety.
Looks like they have cut out the road for the front of the building. This will cause havoc for any busses dropping anyone off especially anyone that is handicapped. How do they get equipment, display items, band equipment etc unloaded? If they expect the busses and trucks to use the other side on Queensway they are not thinking this through.
Personally, use the property around the new wood innovation building ,)
Great comments, mostly! This is a badly conceived temporary solution for a non-existing *problem.* The space in front of the Civic Centre is just fine the way it is. The half million dollars will be seen as a waste of money when it is realized by the *ins* that – if the city grows just a bit more – there will still be a need for a proper plaza which is large enough to accommodate a larger crowd! Small clueless thinking with no real positive long range plans for the future!
Why would anyone cut off vehicle access to the front of the Centre? Is there going to be a shuttle service? What if it snows, when it is 30 below and slippery?
It shows again that common sense is not a very common commodity.
The drawing shows a van in front of doors (as Loki pointed out) so it appears there will still be vehicle access. Whether it is public access or just delivery or disabled drop off, who knows.
In case people wish to remind themselves how most of the Civic Plaza looks at the moment, here is the web cam view from the Two Rivers Gallery.
http://princegeorge.ca/Pages/WebCam.aspx
Notice there is some greenery in front of the Civic Centre. Also notice that it is mostly in the shadow cast by the building all day, even in high summer sun, until late afternoon/evening. Also notice that it is hardly a lush greenery or a colourful flower landscape. Basically mulch with a couple of bushes dropped in.
Maintaining lush greenery in a larger landscaped are will need some tending $$, and we know how the city is with maintenance. Look at the front of the Two Rivers Gallery to see what the plaza will look like after a year or so.
Perhaps Xeroscape is a better approach in PG.
Great responses and points on what appears to be a poory thought out plan. The multiple plaza concept as proposed lacks both practical and functional common sense….it doesn’t look like the new look will enhance people gathering and adding a lot more bushes to this area probably doesn’t pass the CPTED test (crime prevention through environmental design)but hey 500k worth of cosmetic change is needed for the CWGs and then the Civic Center will be sold to the private sector….our tax dollars at work and for who again?
Might as well throw in a liquor store there.
A nice green space would be awesome but whats the point when it will be over run with undesirables? We already avoid the downtown and have given up on going to the four seasons pool and library after we witnessed a very intoxicated lady taking a #2 by the pool and wiping with newspaper. I have no desire to expose my kids to that kind of thing.
Looks nice. A lot more places to sit and enjoy the shade and water. An outdoor stage is a great asset too. Lookimg forward to the improvements. I know I’ll enjoy this area long after the games are over.
Nawwww all you guys ware wayyyyy off… The Mayor wants it Green as a legacy to herself…
http://news.streetroots.org/2013/07/11/seattle-adopts-portland-model-another-go-public-toilets
The moose! There is already a Liquor Store located in the Coast Inn of the North. Handy spot.
I am a bit confused that the push is for the 1015 Winter Games, but this seems to be a summer project. Is this one of those prioritizing our cashflow situations in difficult times?
I think Palapu said it. Isn’t the city having some financial concerns now?
No, no….the citizens are having financial concerns, city hall is not.
Way to small an area for a gathering place for many people, especially if it is all cluttered with trees.
Really, these Victoria or Vancouver designers should see what problems we have here in the winter time before they start designing parking lots and other public places for us.
What’s the matter with local planners anyway???
Seasonal stage! I love it!!!! The new PAC for 500k, what a bargain.
I just don’t understand why the City of Prince George build facilities as if there is no land to build them on. The library, the Civic Center, the Art Gallery, the Four seasons pool, the Coliseum all squished together, no place to park….now this reno which will look terrible after a few years…calling the plan “The River” is a bit ironic….once again the Citizen’s of Prince George are sold down the river….like what did we do to desire this?
I don’t understand this. The city is to use money from the land reserve budget that should be going to paying down debt… so that we can modify a square that was 100% city paid for… to name as a federal government legacy project.
Where is the federal money for the federal legacy project? We pay out both side and every which way to Sunday as local tax payers it seems.
I think its a good modern square. Leave it as is and have public skating events during the games.
Medals should be handed out at one of the sporting venues and close to the beer gardens. If we had to spend a half million to liven up an area then it would make much more sense doing this between Kin 1 and CN Center with a band shell to protect in the event of a snow storm… modify the parking lot with trees and park benches and a set of bleachers that could be wheeled in. This way we have a legacy for things like the BCNE and other cultural events that center around the Prince George Exhibition Grounds.
This downtown at all costs hurts PG development and growth as a city. I thought the Civic Center was going to be used to house athletes as an athletes village? How does that work with the distraction of the media zoo they would have giving medals out right outside the dorm… what about traffic congestion problems they will have using that location?
The focus should be to keep limited amount of spectators near the sporting events and thus the focus on the sporting events… not to compete with the sporting venues for spectators. Its not a well thought out idea to draw people away from the venues to a cold outdoor isolated location IMO.
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